United States Cracks Down On Birth Tourism

The U.S. Mission in Uganda has warned Ugandan citizens holding U.S. tourist visas against using their visas to travel for the sole purpose of giving birth in the United States.

In a statement, the Mission made it clear that using a visa with the primary intent of securing U.S. citizenship for a child through birth is not permitted.

The notice stressed that consular officers are authorised to deny visa applications if they believe an applicant’s main objective is to give birth in the U.S. Read the statement:

Using your visa to travel for the primary purpose of giving birth in the United States so that your child will have U.S. citizenship is not permitted.

The U.S. government said it is increasingly concerned about a trend in which Ugandan parents travel to the United States on tourist visas to deliver their babies, later relying on U.S. government-funded healthcare to cover the costs. The mission added:

These costs are passed on to the American taxpayer, and those parents may not be eligible to renew their visas in the future.

The warning comes amid broader efforts by U.S. authorities to crack down on what is commonly referred to as “birth tourism”.

Visa holders found to have misrepresented their intentions may face long-term consequences, including visa revocation or ineligibility for future U.S. travel.

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